


Can I Axe You A Question?

by MissMcCarthy



Series: 12 Days Of 2019 Christmas [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Happy, No Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:35:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21786865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMcCarthy/pseuds/MissMcCarthy
Summary: With Christmas right around the corner, you return from a mission to find that no one has bothered to get a Christmas tree yet. Luckily, Thor is there to help.
Relationships: Thor/Reader
Series: 12 Days Of 2019 Christmas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570096
Kudos: 22





	Can I Axe You A Question?

Over the last month, you’d been working a recon mission with Wanda in the Florida Keys. The mission had seemed to drag out forever, and you’d begun to worry you wouldn’t be home before Christmas. Everyone was going to be at the compound this year and you didn’t want to miss it, not again. Thankfully, you and Wanda had had a big break in the case earlier this week and you were now headed home, with only twelve days to spare.

“I can’t wait for the snow” the grin on your face was infectious as you turned to look at her. 

The plane would be touching down soon, and you were excited to see the heavy blanket you knew would be coating the ground. Wanda merely smiled back at you, not opening her eyes. She was exhausted from the mission, there had been a lot of late nights, so she was trying to enjoy the peace and quiet of the flight home. 

“If you ask me, it’s unnatural for anywhere to be that hot this late in the year. I mean, it’s almost Christmas! It shouldn’t be 80 degrees, Wanda. No. It should be in the 30’s with snow on the ground” you grumbled.

Wanda merely hummed her agreement. She’d been hearing this argument from you since you’d first arrived in Key West, and she’d long ago given up debating it. Even her lack of caring wasn’t enough to stop you as you launched into your tirade again, ranting about how Christmas was meant to be spent curled up in front of the fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa while the Christmas tree stood tall and proud, the centerpiece of the holiday.

By the time you arrived back at the compound, Wanda was exhausted. You’d kept her up most of the flight, and her bed was calling her name. The snow on the ground had brought out the grin in you, and as the two of you made your way into the common room you were glad to see the team had decorated for Christmas. 

Your eyes skimmed over the room, taking in all of the decor. There was mistletoe, garlands, little wooden reindeer, it looked like something right out of a catalog and you couldn’t be happier. There was only one thing missing, the Christmas tree.

At the kitchen table, Nat, Clint, Bucky, and Tony were playing a card game and you turned to them with a puzzled glance, “Hey guys? Where’s the tree?”

Clint looked up at you and shrugged, “Didn’t get one. Figured we didn’t even know if we’d be here or away on a mission so there’s no point.”

“I’m sorry, what?” you asked, blinking incredulously at them. Wanda’s eyes grew wide and she muttered a quick goodbye before high tailing it out of there. She knew what was coming next, and she didn’t want to be a part of it.

“Just didn’t seem to make sense this year,” Tony said, without even looking up from the game.

“You… You can’t just not get a tree!” you threw your hands up in a questioning gesture as you looked at the four of them, “How is it Christmas without a Christmas Tree?!”

“Sorry [Y/N], it just seemed like a waste? Didn’t realize it was a big deal” Nat cocked an eyebrow at your antics.

Bucky and the others watched as you floundered, trying to find the words to explain to them how important the Christmas tree was, your hands waving through the air. A long moment passed, no one speaking as they watched your silent meltdown. 

With a growl of frustration, you threw your bag down to the side and stormed out, calling over your shoulder, “I’m going to get us a fucking Christmas tree!”

The others exchanged wary glances as they watched you leave. This was your first Christmas with the team, you’d always been away on missions for the holidays, so they’d never seen first hand your love for the holiday. Clearly, they’d underestimated you.

As you stormed through the halls, heading to the garage, you planned. Sure, you only had twelve days until Christmas, but surely there had to be a Christmas Tree lot around that had one good tree left? Normally you’d spend hours picking the perfect tree, but at this point, you’d be willing to settle for a decent tree. 

You were too caught up in your planning to watch where you were going as you entered the garage until you bumped into a muscular chest. Two warm hands wrapped around your arms, and you blushed as you looked up into Thor’s eyes. His eyes roamed over you, taking in your slightly disheveled appearance. There were bags under your eyes, and your hair was a mess. You’d been too focused on getting home this morning to even care what you’d thrown on, and you felt the heat rising in your cheeks as you realized you were in a threadbare t-shirt with the god’s face on it. Last Christmas you’d bought yourself shirts with all of the other’s faces on them, and you’d taken to wearing them around as a joke.

Thor’s was your favorite to wear. He always had a little smirk on his face when he caught you in it, and you couldn’t help but smile back. You’d do anything to see that slightly possessive look in his eyes, it was becoming quite the problem as the team was starting to catch on. 

He smiled softly down at you, “Are you okay? You seem rather upset.”

You were lost in the swirling ocean depths of his eyes, and it took you a long moment to realize he had even spoken. Quickly you cleared your throat, pulling your gaze from his, warmth rising in your cheeks. Your eyes flashed to the wall behind him, a mischievous grin creeping over your face as you spotted Stormbreaker leaning against it.

“Can I axe you a question, Thor?” you bounced on the balls of your feet, smiling at him.

“Of course, [Y/N]! You can ask me anything” Thor answered, and you bit back a sigh of disappointment as your pun went unnoticed. 

“The others decided not to get a Christmas tree like a bunch of fools and now I need to go find one but all the good ones will already be sold. But…. if we went out and cut down our own we could still get the perfect tree. Will you come cut one down with me?” excitement rolled off you in waves, and he couldn’t help but return your grin.

“It only seems appropriate that we fix this mistake” he chuckled softly.

As soon as he spoke, you launched yourself forward, arms wrapping around Thor and pulling him close. The warmth of his arms as they enveloped you brought you back to your senses, and you released him, stepping back out of his reach quickly. You were too caught up in your own embarrassment to notice the red tint on his cheeks as he smiled softly down at you.

The moment lingered, the air heavy, until he quickly grabbed up Stormbreaker and turned back to you, “Lead the way.”

“You can’t use Stormbreaker to cut down a tree, Thor” you laughed quietly as you pictured it. 

“Why not?” he asked, tilting his head curiously. Maybe there was some rule he didn’t know about Christmas tree etiquette? 

“I dunno, it seems sacrilegious to use it for something other than battle” you shrugged, looking down curiously at the gorgeous weapon in his hands.

“Not at all. Why would I use another axe when I have one of my own?” he paused for a moment, considering before he continued with a playful laugh, “Although this will definitely be the simplest and least bloody task it will likely ever face.”

“You sure, Thor?” you chewed on your lip gently, debating on whether you should let it go.

“I’m sure.” he held Stormbreaker in his left hand, and with a playful bow, he offered you his right arm. 

You paused for only a moment before you linked your arm with his, and you set out towards the forest behind the compound. Dusk was beginning to settle in, the vibrant pinks and purples in the sunset dancing on the sheer white snow beneath your feet. Thor’s gaze was locked onto the forest ahead, but you couldn’t keep your eyes off of him. 

The day before you and Wanda had left for your mission, he’d cut his long hair short, and it was taking all of your willpower not to reach out and run your fingers through it. While you loved his long hair, there was just something about the short locks that made you want nothing more than to be touching him, nails lightly scratching his head. You shook your head, trying to toss the daydream from your mind as you returned your focus to the task at hand, although you couldn’t help but glance at him every few seconds. 

When he turned to look at you and caught you watching him, you immediately turned to the forest, refusing to admit you’d ever looked at him to begin with. In your haste, you missed the way his gaze lingered on your face, studying you with the warm smile he reserved for the quiet moments when it was just the two of you, alone and peaceful. 

The silence grew, enveloping the forest in its warm embrace until Thor could take it no longer, “Why is a Christmas tree so important to you?”

You looked down at the glistening snow for a moment before you answered him, “My mom died when I was little, and Dad was always working, trying to keep us afloat. It was hard, and I spent a lot of time home alone.” You took a moment to clear your throat, “No matter what though, Dad and I always had one day together every year. December first. He usually had to work Christmas, so we’d celebrate on random days, but every year, he made sure to get December first off.”

A small smile crept onto your face, “He’d wake me up bright and early, and we’d go get hot chocolate. And then, we’d go Christmas tree shopping. We’d spend all day going back and forth between lots, trying to find the perfect tree. Just tall enough that there’s barely enough room for the tree topper, no broken branches, just full enough, all of that. And then we’d take it home and spend all night up decorating it with Christmas music on.

“It was always my favorite day of the whole year. I loved knowing it was always our tradition. Even after I moved out, we still went tree shopping every year. When he passed away a few years back, I wasn’t sure if I could keep doing it. But I had to. He wouldn’t want me to give it up just because we couldn’t go together anymore, y’know?” 

You didn’t realize a stray tear was falling down your cheek until you felt Thor’s warm thumb brush it away. He didn’t speak and merely pulled you close into his side. Before silence could settle in again, you let out an excited gasp and raced away from him, stopping in front of a large tree at the edge of a clearing.

Thor watched as you slowly circled the tree, your eyes tracing every branch, studying the tree for any flaw. It was a tall tree, standing about eight feet. The branches were the perfect combination of bushy and sparse, giving you plenty of strong branches to hang ornaments on, but with enough space that the ornaments would truly hang, not just rest on the other branches.

After a long moment, you turned to him with a wide grin, “This is it. This is the tree!”

“It looks like a fine tree to me, [Y/N].” he smiled softly, motioning for you to back up as he hefted Stormbreaker in both hands, studying the tree’s base. Once you were safely out of the way, he gave one swing, and the tree gradually fell to the ground at his feet, no match for Stormbreaker.

A light dusting of snow blew into the sky, disturbed by the fallen tree, and it swirled around you and Thor. The delicate snowflakes landed on the both of you, leaving a light dusting on you both. Moonlight gleamed off the snow, and your fingers itched to reach out and brush the snow out of his hair. 

You managed to keep yourself in check, barely, and shot him a grateful smile as you pulled out your phone. Tony answered almost immediately, and it didn’t take much before he had agreed to send an Iron Legion suit to bring the tree back. From the lack of fight he’d put up, you couldn’t help but wonder if Wanda had told the others that you were apparently in love with the holiday. 

You didn’t have to wait long for the Iron Legion suit to arrive since it was only coming from the compound, and within a minute it was already on its way back home. With your tree chosen, it felt as if a weight had been taken from your shoulders. Your dad would be proud of you for picking the perfect tree, and the fact that Thor was the one to help you well… that meant the world. 

Without a doubt, you knew your dad would have approved of Thor being the one to help you. When you first set out tonight with him by your side, a part of you felt as if you were betraying your father’s memory, even though you knew it had been irrational. As the two of you had wandered the forest though, and you’d told him tales of your childhood, you couldn’t imagine having gone it alone. His steady presence by your side brought you a sense of peace.

A breeze blew through the forest, dancing across your skin and leaving goosebumps prickling up on your skin. In your rush to get a Christmas tree, you hadn’t really been paying attention to what you were wearing as you headed out. Unfortunately, that meant you were wearing only a light sweater, jeans, and boots. With the sun below the horizon and the moon reigning, the temperature was quickly dropping and you could feel the cold seeping into your bones.

When a shiver wracked your body, Thor frowned. He quickly stepped towards you, slinging his arm around your shoulder and pulling against his side. At first, you were tense, pressed close to him. It didn’t take long though before you were nuzzling closer into him, his comforting scent engulfing you. 

“You really should have brought a cloak or jacket” you didn’t need to look up at him to see the smile on his face, it was clear in his tone.

“But then I wouldn’t be this close to you” you murmured under your breath, so low you weren’t sure he would even be able to hear you.

When he didn’t answer, worry began to gnaw at you. Either he hadn’t heard you speak at all, or he wasn’t a fan of your admission. The quiet was quickly growing unbearable to you as your mind raced, afraid you’d just messed it all up with your whispered revelation. That’s why you chose to blurt out the first thing that came to your mind, as you internally cursed yourself.

“Are you going to ask out Evelyn?” you felt him tense against you and you bit your lip before continuing, “Y’know, the agent who helps you with your reports? She’s interested. If you asked I’m sure she’d say yes.”

“She’s not my type” his voice was gruff when he answered, and he pulled you closer into him. 

If you had looked up to him rather than studying the trees around you, you’d have seen the way his eyes never left your face as he spoke. Neither of you spoke again as you continued your return home. It didn’t take long before you reached the forest’s edge, and a soft gasp slipped from your lips as you looked at the sight in front of you.

The distant lights of the compound shone bright, lighting your way home. That wasn’t what drew your eye though. In the sky above you, ribbons of green and purple danced across the stars. You were drawn like a magnet, stepping out from under Thor’s arm to stare up at the sky with wonder in your eyes. 

Among all of your travels, you’d never been lucky enough to Aurora Borealis in person. It had fascinated you all your life, and you’d always dreamed of taking a trip to see them. It wasn’t unheard of them to be visible in upstate New York, but it certainly wasn’t a typical occurrence. 

“It’s so beautiful” the sentence slipped softly from your lips, afraid to speak up and break the spell that seemed to have engulfed the clearing.

Thor hummed his soft agreement, and you couldn’t help but glance over at him. He wasn’t looking up at the sky though, no, he was watching you closely as the lights swirled in your eyes. You felt your blush return as you realized what he was actually talking about.

He moved towards you calmly, his every movement cautious as if he was approaching a wild animal that could spook at any moment. You were rooted to the spot as he stood in front of you, a tender smile on his face as he looked down at you. His hand reached out, cupping your cheek and you leaned into his touch, eyes half closing at the comforting feeling.

Your heart threatened to break free from your chest, pounding rapidly as he gradually leaned in closer to you. He was giving you every chance to pull away, to stop him. That was the furthest thing from what you wanted though. When his lips were barely an inch from yours, he stopped. His eyes were scouring yours, searching for something, an answer or approval you weren’t sure. Before he could move again though, you leaned forward, capturing his lips in yours.

The kiss was slow, his lips gentle against yours. After a long moment, you deepened the kiss. His hands moved to rest on your hips, pulling you closer and you tangled your fingers in what was left of his hair. He tasted like honey, and if there had been any doubt in your mind before, you knew now that you were addicted to this man. 

Much too soon, he pulled back with a breathless chuckle, resting his forehead against yours. Your fingers slowly began to card through his hair, scraping lightly against his scalp and he let out a low moan, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment before spoke again.

“Merry Christmas, darling.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first time writing Thor as anything but your big bro, and I'm still not too sold on this story but I hope you enjoyed it at least a bit!


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